Scott Morrison defends Alex Antic despite threats to hold government to ransom

The PM says he doesn’t lead a team of “drones” after continued threats from one of his own to withhold votes on all government motions and bills over vaccine mandates.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has defended SA Senator Alex Antic’s decision to hold the federal government’s legislative agenda to ransom, declaring he doesn’t lead a team of “drones”.

Senator Antic has threatened to withhold his votes on all government motions and bills until more “protections” are put in place for people subject to mandatory vaccinations.

Mr Morrison said Senator Antic had raised “issues that are very important to him”.

“In the Liberal Party, we encourage our members to be themselves,” he said.

“I don’t lead a team of drones and warm bodies that I just move around in the parliament.”

Mr Morrison said he lets his party “breathe” and that he “wasn’t afraid” of MPs being “strong advocates on behalf of their community”.

“I actually think that makes our government stronger,” he said.

SA Senator Alex Antic (top right) is withholding his vote on government bills until the PM overturns state vaccine mandates. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Rebel senators score vax win – but Antic still wants more

Giving more people compensation for suffering adverse reactions from Covid-19 vaccines won’t be enough to get rebel senator Alex Antic back on side with the federal government.

Health Minister Greg Hunt agreed to widen the eligibility for the Covid-19 Vaccine Claims Scheme on Wednesday, in exchange for conservative senator Gerard Rennick’s support on procedural motions only.

Under the changes, people who lose $1000 of income due to vaccine reactions can receive compensation, down from the previous threshold of $5000.

While close allies of Senator Antic agreed the announcement was a “step in the right direction”, they said more concessions were needed to win back his support on motions and bills.

Senator Antic previously declared there was “no end date” to his threat to withhold his vote on all government legislation until Prime Minister Scott Morrison overturns state-enforced vaccination mandates.

Mr Morrison will introduce his religious discrimination bill on Thursday, putting Senator Antic’s threat to the test.

The legislation, allowing more freedoms for people to follow their faith, aligns directly with Senator Antic’s conservative views.

A vote won’t be called on until next year, but Senator Antic has refused to say if he will support the Bill.

SA Senator Penny Wong. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Political observers in Canberra have remarked a wedge could be driven between Senator Antic and his conservative constituents if he did not support the legislation.

SA Labor Senator Penny Wong wrote to Finance Minister Simon Birmingham, challenging him to allow a motion next week to condemn MPs for “dividing the nation” by “stoking anger and fear” among “ideologically motivated extremists”.

She singled out Senator Antic’s appearance at a “Freedom Rally” last Saturday, claiming that he had been “deliberately and cynically pandering to extremists”.

[e-mail]